I’m a Black doctor on the front line, here’s what I think about vaccines

Dr Abdul Zubairu is a GP based in Southport

Dr Abdul Zubairu
Dr Abdul understands why people are worried about a vaccine, and he thinks the government must do more to address their fears

I WOKE up on January 9 with a slightly heavier left arm, but this feeling was overtaken by a deep sense of relief.

The day before I had received my second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine because I’m a frontline NHS doctor.

Despite my own eagerness, I’m not surprised that other Black people are unsure about the vaccine.

There is a history of medical experimentation on the Black community that we cannot ignore. The Tuskegee syphilis study and the forced sterilisation of Black women in the past are perhaps the more well-known examples and they are US-based. However, others will point out the lack of sickle cell research funding as another example of how race impacts health outcomes. More recently, people have become aware of shocking statistics which show that Black women are five times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth.

So while I am thankful for my own COVID-19 vaccine, I understand the concerns of my community. Perhaps the difference for me is that since March I have seen patients, colleagues and even my own family members infected with this disease. It’s true that many of them recovered, but some had to spend time in hospital away from their loved ones. Some never made it home from those hospitals.

Those that survived face their own challenges. They may deal with symptoms of tiredness, breathlessness and memory loss for months.

In my view, people have to weigh up their worries about a vaccine against the potential harm that contracting COVID-19 can do.

I know this disease is impacting my community disproportionately. I know that it has led to more hospitalisations and more deaths for us than our white counterparts.

I took the vaccine, because I understand the evidence and the rigorous process that took place to approve it.

The government, the NHS and other public health bodies need to work with Black communities and address their fears. They should start by recognising that Black people who are hesitant about the vaccine have valid fears, that are separate from the anti-vaxx sentiment that existed before this pandemic.

As a Black GP, I want people to take the vaccine when it is offered. For me, it’s a matter of protecting our community and the people we love most.


More than 4 million people in the UK have already received their first dose. They are people from all ethnic backgrounds and walks of life. The majority of them are over 80. Others live in care homes, work as carers or are frontline health care professionals like myself.

For many of us, this vaccine feels like a light at the end of a tunnel in a pandemic that has been long and difficult.

I want it to help all of us. 

Whether or not you take the vaccine is your choice, but The Voice wants you to have reliable information.

We asked your questions about the vaccine to an expert and you can see her answers here.

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2 Comments

  1. | Abdul Seisay

    Brilliant piece of summary from our Dr Abdul. We need more BAME Healthcare Professionals, Celebrities, Religious Leaders of all faiths or none and Community Ambassadors / Champions to share their stories.
    I am a NHS Professional in Infection Prevention and Control. I have received the first Vaccine and awaiting my second in March. I would like to share my story as a community Ambassador and NHS Frontline worker.
    07903233737 or [email protected]

    Reply

  2. | Mariama Diallo

    I am a also a frontline worker in fact I can say that since this pandemic started I’ve been in the thick of it day in day out. But as a black ethnic minority I am still hesitant to get the vaccine, my sentiment is “I’ve been in the thick of it since it started, by Gods grace I haven’t got it yet fingers crossed, I don’t want to put any foreign body in my body that I’m not sure of. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. I do take the pandemic seriously I deal with the deaths on a daily basis but I also take the full precautions to look after myself. I know this may sound irresponsible but my understanding and deep sentiments about medications is what is holding me back. I don’t want to be an experiment, I’m more scared of taking the vaccine than contracting the disease because I’m still skeptical about where, what , how, this disease came about to grind the whole world to a halt. It seems so orchestrated, by the powers that be.

    Reply

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